The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-10

q and many ONCE
seekers. Not few of them are
newly appointed government otlclals
and hangers on of Congressman.
The urbaue and gentlemanly pre-
scription clerks in the barrooms are
unable to properly size up this an
Bual army, and their assaults upon
the free lunches are terrible to be-
hold during the winter months.
There was a time when foreign
prince was mistaken for tramp In
the springtime and elected from a
free lunch table aud from the room.
Since that mistake occurred bar
keepers have been more careful and
slow in reaching conclusions about
their guests. This is cosmSpolis.
All sorts of people gather here In
all sorts of attire. Princes are not
known by their clothes and insignia.
Hence the regular FOUNDERS may
work the town for several months
before being discovered. You have
no idea how much it costs to keep
up a respectable and attractive free
lunch counter" says prominent
proprietor Of a dramshop. None
but gentlemen are allowed here if l
can hel p it, and when they want
something to eat between their
drinks they ought to have the best.
OF course, gentlemen do not want to
eat meal every time they drink, but
they do want to nibble at something.
They should have the best. They
have right to expect it, and it keeps
them with us, and they buy more.
1t is mutually advantageous. But to
have these fellows come here every
winter and grow fat on our best
lucnhes, makes proprietor angry and
who can blame us?' There is much
philosophy in his reasoning. But,
while the others have been growing
and waiting fer the exit OF the Con-
gress SO that they might commence
their annual determinations, the
proprietor of q popular saloon on the
avenue las been using his chestnut
bell with great effect On the lunch
table are daily set forth three Kinds
OF meats, and all vegetables usu-
ally found in such places.
Everything is clean and neat
on the table, but beneath
that bounteous board there is
chestnut bell about the size of
gong on hotel counter, such as the
clerk uses when he shouts Front"
Electric wires run over the ceiling
and down the wall back Of the bar,
where an ivory button is imbedded
in the woodwork. In comes the
hungry, shabby genteel fellow for his
dinner. He takes fork, and as his
fingers touch it there is gentle
ring under the table. AS he plunges
into the smoking earthen pot of sue
eulent baked beans the bell rings
gently again. As the fork reaches
his lips aud the beans disappear on
their Journey adown his esophagus,
there is long aid loud peal which
wakens the cat and startles the mon
key in the cage near by. AS he
munches his sood there is supreme
silence. When he reaches for an
other pound of beans the bell breaks
loose again and makes the ancient
cobwebs jingle. If the customer is
not driven out by this time, the par
rot overhead catches the infection of
the occasion and shouts, You got |
e-e-nough. Go now" That settles
it. The customer never repeats his
visit. In the evening, when the
room is full of customers, it is up
\ roarious fun to see an unwary fend
fthus disposed of when he sidles up
to the table for his supper. All the
while the performance is going on,
the barkeeper preserves grave and
dignifed mien, never looking to the
right or the lett.